This poem will be a critical/satirical view of the 21st-century world, in 18th-century style. It will be in heroic couplets (iambic pentameter rhyming aabbccddee etc, not divided into stanzas). It should have a wry, pithy, slightly pompous tone; important nouns should have their first letter capitalized, and words may be repeated at short intervals to achieve a rhythmic balance. I am thinking particularly of Alexander Pope. Here is an extract from his Essay on Man as an example:

Know then thyself, presume not God to scan;The proper study of Mankind is Man.Plac'd on this isthmus of a middle state,A Being darkly wise, and rudely great:With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side,With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride,He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest;In doubt to deem himself a God, or Beast;In doubt his Mind or Body to prefer;Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err.

Our poem will consist of 40 lines (20 couplets). Each poster should contribute a complete couplet. Please copy the earlier lines when you post. The title and opening couplet are as follows:

THE MODERN AGE

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night,

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).
Our Schools, by bald Statistics now assess'd,
Disparage Wisdom, and exalt the Test.

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).
Our Schools, by bald Statistics now assess'd,
Disparage Wisdom, and exalt the Test.
Those who pass learn Competence and Skill
The losers join the army and are Killed

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).
Our Schools, by bald Statistics now assess'd,
Disparage Wisdom, and exalt the Test.
Those who pass learn Competence and Skill
The losers join the army and are Killed,
Which proves the truth of Natural Selection
(A concept still beset by wide rejection).

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).
Our Schools, by bald Statistics now assess'd,
Disparage Wisdom, and exalt the Test.
Those who pass learn Competence and Skill
The losers join the army and are Killed,
Which proves the truth of Natural Selection
(A concept still beset by wide rejection).
What cursed rage for conquest, pale Ramon,
Compels us toward perfection’s distant throne?

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).
Our Schools, by bald Statistics now assess'd,
Disparage Wisdom, and exalt the Test.
Those who pass learn Competence and Skill
The losers join the army and are Killed,
Which proves the truth of Natural Selection
(A concept still beset by wide rejection).
What cursed rage for conquest, pale Ramon,
Compels us toward perfection’s distant throne?
Your Marxist Tyrant murders for a Cause
And basks in Western Radicals' applause,

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).
Our Schools, by bald Statistics now assess'd,
Disparage Wisdom, and exalt the Test.
Those who pass learn Competence and Skill
The losers join the army and are Killed,
Which proves the truth of Natural Selection
(A concept still beset by wide rejection).
What cursed rage for conquest, pale Ramon,
Compels us toward perfection’s distant throne?
Your Marxist Tyrant murders for a Cause
And basks in Western Radicals' applause,
While Nations like our own will pay no Heed
When Criminals like these have what we Need.

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).
Our Schools, by bald Statistics now assess'd,
Disparage Wisdom, and exalt the Test.
Those who pass learn Competence and Skill
The losers join the army and are Killed,
Which proves the truth of Natural Selection
(A concept still beset by wide rejection).
What cursed rage for conquest, pale Ramon,
Compels us toward perfection’s distant throne?
Your Marxist Tyrant murders for a Cause
And basks in Western Radicals' applause,
While Nations like our own will pay no Heed
When Criminals like these have what we Need.
The Cinematograph and Discotheque
Bring Frenzy, Arrogance and social Wreck,

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).
Our Schools, by bald Statistics now assess'd,
Disparage Wisdom, and exalt the Test.
Those who pass learn Competence and Skill
The losers join the army and are Killed,
Which proves the truth of Natural Selection
(A concept still beset by wide rejection).
What cursed rage for conquest, pale Ramon,
Compels us toward perfection’s distant throne?
Your Marxist Tyrant murders for a Cause
And basks in Western Radicals' applause,
While Nations like our own will pay no Heed
When Criminals like these have what we Need.
The Cinematograph and Discotheque
Bring Frenzy, Arrogance and social Wreck,
And all the Internet seems to produce
Are pornographic Films with bad Tattoos.

As sweet-faced Progress briskly wields her wand,
And conjures new Ideas from realms beyond,
I oft consider how the changes wrought
Will serve our Ilk for Good or Ill or Aught.
Efficient finance, and increasing speed,
Beget not Happiness but gloating Greed,
And surgeons now perform a heart repair
With probes inserted through the derriere.
The teeming Masses, having learned to write,
Spew electronic Piffle day and night.
The Mother Tongue, as far as I can tell,
Is strewn with useless garbage (LOL).
Our Schools, by bald Statistics now assess'd,
Disparage Wisdom, and exalt the Test.
Those who pass learn Competence and Skill
The losers join the army and are Killed,
Which proves the truth of Natural Selection
(A concept still beset by wide rejection).
What cursed rage for conquest, pale Ramon,
Compels us toward perfection’s distant throne?
Your Marxist Tyrant murders for a Cause
And basks in Western Radicals' applause,
While Nations like our own will pay no Heed
When Criminals like these have what we Need.
The Cinematograph and Discotheque
Bring Frenzy, Arrogance and social Wreck,
And all the Internet seems to produce
Are pornographic Films with bad Tattoos.
Composers shun the glorious Baroque;
Eschewing Harmony, they strive for Shock.